On April 12, 2024, during the week of The Masters, my representative at the SiriusXM PGA TOUR channel informed me that the PGA TOUR had requested the immediate removal of MMC’s radio spot, describing it as “detrimental to them.” The ad was scheduled to air during the live coverage of The Masters on the SiriusXM PGA TOUR channel. It was carefully created as a heartfelt appeal from MMC to sponsors, inviting them to partner with MMC in a growth initiative geared toward attracting new players. Our goal was/is to help make the game more diverse, inclusive, and accessible while promoting its growth.

The message aimed to highlight important industry statistics that many listeners might not be aware of, drawing attention to urgent challenges facing the golf community. At that time, it appeared the PGA TOUR preferred to shield its audience—which includes Augusta National’s board and members, investors, sponsors, donors, and fans—from these facts.

This unexpected act of censorship sparked a deep resolve within my team and me. We were motivated to understand why anyone might resist a message centered on inclusion, diversity, accessibility, and growth—principles that support the expansion of the game, golf courses and provide job security for golf professionals, which were the core themes of the radio spot.

Considering the PGA TOUR’s origins as a spin-off of the PGA of America—an organization representing nearly 30,000 golf professionals with members embedded in two-thirds of U.S. golf facilities—it would be reasonable to expect these institutions and their affiliates to embrace initiatives that advance their members’ careers, strengthen the businesses they represent, and grow the game. Furthermore, both the PGA TOUR and Augusta National depend heavily on sponsors and advertisers to sustain the tour and the event, creating a responsibility to their supporters to promote products and services effectively. It follows that they would welcome a clear understanding of the industry’s current state or, at minimum, a fresh perspective on its challenges.

Most professional golf tours, associations, and organizations proudly fly their nonprofit flags, championing a mission to grow the game and improve the lives of their members and everyone involved in the industry. Their mission statements sound as sweet as sinking a birdie on a tough par five, yet sometimes they feel more like a tricky dogleg—leaving us wondering if we’re truly on the right path to making a meaningful difference. Everything you hear from these governing bodies centers on glowing statistics about the game’s growth. But the largest and most influential organization in golf seems hesitant to share the hard data behind those claims.

Executives across tours and organizations are often rewarded based on growth metrics, yet they seem reluctant to face the real numbers. Could it be that the facts come from a source outside their control, making them harder to spin? Or maybe some industry leaders are more concerned about how the truth might affect their compensation packages than about protecting the public from it.

This question made me pause and led me to ask my team: Why not take a step back and look at the past two decades with fresh eyes? Let’s measure, in concrete terms, how much these executives and the governing bodies they represent have actually contributed to growing the game. How do those contributions line up with what they earn? We should also listen to those on the front lines—owners, operators, superintendents, groundskeepers, managers, marketing teams, membership staff, maintenance crews, cart attendants, amateur players, and countless others working tirelessly on golf’s recreational side—and ask if they feel the efforts of these executives are reflected fairly in their pay. Beyond that, we need to examine the revenue flowing through these nonprofit governing bodies, because at their core, they are businesses. How much of that money, directly or indirectly tied to recreational golf, is genuinely reinvested to grow the game?

It’s important to say that this research wasn’t born from anger or a desire for retaliation. Instead, it came from a sincere need to understand how and why things got to this point. Driven by curiosity rather than a quest for justice, we sought answers—especially after repeated requests for information from the PGA Tour and SiriusXM went unanswered. Faced with that silence, we knew a thorough investigation was necessary.

Diving into the financials, business practices, and actual contributions of golf’s “professional” side against their returns was not just disappointing—it was deeply disheartening. In Chapter Two, titled “Monuments of Prosperity and Untaxed Wealth,” I’ll break down the numbers from their tax filings to reveal where the revenue truly flows. This analysis will give you the tools to judge for yourself whether these institutions and their leaders are living up to their promises or if it’s all just smoke and mirrors.

If you care deeply about golf and enjoy stories that capture the heart and complexity of this cherished game, you’ll find this book impossible to put down. It offers a fresh and thoughtful look at golf—from the pulse of its industry to the decisions shaping its future. Like a gripping Sherlock Holmes mystery, it introduces a cast of fascinating characters: an executive jetting around the world to strike quiet deals, building partnerships with key players in the Middle East, shaping billion-dollar investment groups, and desperately clinging to power by selling tickets to a sinking ship. This isn’t fiction or a Hollywood script, this is the compelling, true story of the game and industry we all hold dear—golf—told with care, insight, and hope for what lies ahead.

Within these pages, you’ll uncover the less visible side of “professional” golf—the business practices that many in governing bodies’ leadership would rather keep out of the spotlight because they don’t reflect the values of a sport so rich in tradition and respect. This book reveals a complex drama behind the scenes, one that could rival any soap opera. Beneath the polished surface of the sport lies a whirlwind of tension and power struggles, as intense and precise as a perfectly struck shot.

Imagine key figures abandoning the game’s core for lucrative paydays, secret deals negotiated away from public view to prevent talent from slipping away, and allegations of subtle manipulations of rankings designed to maintain tight control over players’ careers and earnings. It’s a high-stakes game of chess played on a golf course, with billions tossed around like casual chips at the clubhouse. The real contest isn’t just on the fairways—it’s fought in boardrooms where authority and influence dictate the future of the game we love. Who would have guessed that behind golf’s genteel image lies a world full of unexpected twists and turns?

In Chapter Three, titled “Monopolistic or Synergistic,” I’ll guide you through this intricate landscape, helping you see whether the PGA and its many spin-offs and close alliances—though legally separate—function as a single monopolistic force in the industry, or if they truly operate independently, working together in a spirit of synergy.

What’s unfolding with LIV Golf is just the tip of the iceberg—visible but only a fraction of a much larger picture. Beneath the surface lies a vast array of challenges that touch every corner of the industry: allegations of antitrust violations, greed, cronyism, censorship, data manipulation, accounting fraud, intellectual property theft, propaganda, exclusion, class discrimination, elitism, and racism. In Chapter Four, “Bad Press and the Propaganda Machine,” I’ll explore these difficult topics with honesty and care, shining a light on the complexities that often go unnoticed but affect us all.

I’m Chuck Thompson, President and CEO of MMC. At MMC, we hold ourselves accountable through performance—our compensation depends entirely on real success. We measure that success by genuine results: golfers who spend their money and concrete sales numbers, not empty promises or inflated claims. Since late 2005, we’ve been helping golf courses grow by bringing in new players, focusing especially on Casual and Non-golfers through our no-risk, self-funding marketing campaigns. Over the past two decades, MMC has directly contributed to more than a third of the industry’s growth in golfer acquisition and participation.

I’ve authored two previous books on the golf industry—GOLF: The Untapped Market and EGO: Edging Golf Out—and this is my third, GOLF: A Game of Integrity or A Game of Monopoly—You Decide. My work is rooted in a deep belief that golf is far more than just a sport; the game has the power to lift self-esteem, improve socio-economic status, bring people together, and strengthen communities. Because of this, I’m committed to introducing as many people as possible to the game and all the opportunities it offers.

In EGO: Edging Golf Out, I shared a note with readers:

“This book explores sensitive topics, and the true stories shared are meant as fables from which valuable lessons can be learned. As the saying goes, ‘Any fool can learn from experience, but it takes a wise person to learn from other people’s experiences.’ To protect the integrity of these lessons and avoid unintended embarrassment, the names of individuals and facilities are not disclosed—except for my team and me. Anonymity helps keep the focus where it belongs: on the insights and knowledge shared.”

This new book also addresses sensitive issues, with nonfiction stories intended to serve as fables that offer important lessons. Unlike before, I can’t guarantee anonymity for all individuals because much of the content comes from publicly available sources. A significant part is drawn from media reports, court and public records—including tax documents—interviews with executives connected to governing bodies, discussions with attorneys familiar with the inner workings and legal strategies of these organizations, conversations with top golf reporters, and many other sources. To maintain transparency and credibility, I’ll be citing these sources throughout the book, so you can see the foundation behind the narrative.

The titles of my books are meant to spark reflection—GOLF: The Untapped Market, originally subtitled Why the Pros are Failing to Grow the Game, offered important insights aimed at equipping owners and operators with the tools they need to grow their businesses effectively. EGO: Edging Golf Out focused on introspection and personal growth, with the hope of uplifting golf professionals and fostering the sport’s development. Continuing in this spirit, my third book takes a deeper look at the professional side of golf and its profound impact on the recreational game. It’s written to inspire and inform the leaders of golf’s governing bodies, emphasizing that professional golf fundamentally depends on recreational golf for its growth and sustainability.

Like my previous works, this book is grounded in respect and honesty, dedicated solely to advancing the game, supporting golf courses and elevating golf professionals’ careers. In earlier books, I chose a politically cautious tone to avoid alienating anyone, but those efforts to prompt acknowledgment of golf’s pressing challenges were met with limited success. That’s why, with this book, I’m embracing a more candid approach—sharing facts built on in-depth research my team and I have conducted over the past year, alongside nearly two decades of hands-on experience working closely with golf courses to help them flourish.

In the past, my writing was shaped largely by memory and experience, drawn from countless conversations and collaborations with over a thousand businesses, owners, operators, and staff throughout my forty-three-year career in business growth. Because of that, I didn’t rely on citations—my knowledge was grounded in lived experience and ongoing learning.

This time, I’m taking a different path. I want to be clear that I have never closely followed the PGA TOUR, PGA of America, LPGA, USGA, NGCOA, NGF, Augusta National, CMAA, DP World Tour, GCSAA, The R&A, WGF, or any of the major organizations, corporations, or touring golfers. Nor have I immersed myself in the politics of the golf industry. My understanding has come primarily from general conversations and hands-on experience—always focused on the recreational side of the game. Because of this, I recognized the need to conduct thorough research to better understand the professional side. You’ll see citations throughout this book, reflecting insights supported by documented sources.

We all know the internet can be a minefield of misinformation. While I’m committed to presenting only data and facts, much of the information in this book reflects the findings of others. If those sources contain errors or invite different interpretations, some of those imperfections may carry through here. My intention isn’t to criticize or diminish anyone’s contributions but to highlight areas where we can improve—always with respect for everyone’s role in the golf industry. Through this balanced and thoughtful approach, I hope to add to the ongoing conversations about golf’s future.

In GOLF: The Untapped Market, I discussed why the golf industry faces challenges, focusing on how a lack of education around player acquisition, customer development (distinct from “player development”), and especially identifying and classifying customers, has held growth back. In EGO: Edging Golf Out, I explored how egos and unwelcoming environments push people away. These insights reveal some of the reasons behind stagnation and the loss of players. Both books offer sustainable, practical solutions for growth—whether personal, business-related, or career-focused.

The truth is, people don’t return to places where they don’t feel welcome. Sadly, too often the focus is misplaced—on changing the game itself rather than addressing the real challenges within the golf industry and its leadership.

In this book, GOLF: A Game of Integrity, I lift the veil on the tours, major organizations, and their leaders. Whether consciously or unconsciously, they’ve played a part in the game and industry’s decline. But this book also offers workable solutions to shift golf’s image from “a monopolized, rich, middle-aged, white man’s sport, fraught with misogyny, prejudice, racism, cronyism, and elitism” to a vision of diversity, accessibility, and inclusivity: Golf—It’s Everyone’s Game!

I examine the profound influence professional golf exerts on the entire industry, especially its recreational side—highlighting both the positive and negative impacts. The leadership of professional golf’s governing bodies holds significant power over recreational golf, shaping its growth and development. For the game to truly grow—not just inch forward over decades—these governing bodies must rise to the occasion and contribute their fair share.

In Chapter Seven, titled “Paying It Forward for Prosperity,” you’ll find the details of how I believe we, as an industry, can make that happen. This chapter outlines the heart of the GIEG strategy for unprecedented growth—offering hope and a clear path forward for everyone who loves this game.

With the support of just one to six Diamond Sponsors, I propose we launch a new foundation: The Golf It’s Everyone’s Game (GIEG) Foundation. This foundation will be powered by a growth initiative that has already been market-tested with success, helping over 500 golf course businesses thrive. What’s more, this initiative can be tailored to fit the unique needs of any owner or operator. Our GIEG growth program aims to increase player acquisition, participation, development, and retention by ten million golfers over the next five years, using MMC’s no-risk, self-funding campaigns targeting Casual and Non-golfers. Together, we will reshape golf’s image forever—to proudly declare: “GOLF: It’s Everyone’s Game!”

As a united industry, we have the power—and the responsibility—to erase outdated stereotypes and past perceptions of golf and its leadership. We can replace them with a fresh, inclusive vision that resonates in every mind and heart. This message is simple but profound: “GOLF: It’s Everyone’s Game!” I believe wholeheartedly in this vision and am fully committed to putting in the work necessary to launch the GIEG Foundation as soon as possible. Chapter Eight, titled “The Mulligan,” lays out how the Foundation and its team will focus on one clear mission: growing the game by making it more diverse, accessible, and inclusive.

I’ll admit, I have mixed feelings about this book. My previous works mostly celebrated the positive sides of golf, and while this book remains hopeful and optimistic about the game’s future, it’s also important to shine a light on the challenges lurking beneath the surface. By being honest about where we stand, I hope to inspire readers and potential sponsors to join us in making a real difference. This approach is a shift from my usual focus on positivity, but as an eternal optimist, I know the best is still ahead.

Despite the carefully crafted fairy tale we’re often told, the unvarnished facts paint a different picture. Golf isn’t growing—it’s more like gingerly finding its footing again. And that’s if we conveniently overlook the population boom. Throughout this book, I’ll reveal the hard truth using tax filings from the very companies loudly proclaiming the industry’s growth. Spoiler alert: those filings show massive losses that most of the public doesn’t know about. These losses—massive losses, which are the opposite of growth—are cleverly hidden behind the industry’s polished stories of expansion.

Both sides of the game—recreational and professional—are feeling the squeeze. Meanwhile, some executives and a few privileged course owners seem to be living in a different world, spinning data to fatten their own pockets, as if they’ve found a way to turn a triple bogey into an eagle. The only ones truly insulated are those course owners with deep enough pockets to outlast their competitors. It’s a classic case of “do as we say, not as we do,” where the real winners are those who survive the longest in this high-stakes game of survival—on and off the fairway.

Let’s clear the air—preferably the fresh, invigorating air of a golf course—about what “growing the game” truly means to me. It’s not about virtual golf simulators or flashy apps promising to improve your swing while you lounge on the couch. While these sectors are growing and do contribute to the industry’s expansion, true growth happens when new golfers step onto the green, clubs in hand, ready to take on a nine-or eighteen-hole round under the open sky. Real growth is felt when local courses see more players out enjoying those same rounds, breathing in the crisp air, and maybe even dodging the occasional curious squirrel. And the ultimate sign of growth? More golf courses popping up across the country, meeting the needs of new and seasoned golfers alike, eager to embrace the game outside—in the fresh air.

When we hit these milestones, that’s when the game—and everything connected to it—will truly flourish. Businesses will thrive, charitable contributions will grow, tours and associations will flourish, and golf professionals’ careers will blossom. We’ll have an industry that’s not just surviving but growing in a meaningful way.

Back in 2005, the industry counted roughly 20,000 eighteen-hole “golf courses”—I use quotes intentionally here, because governing bodies have since shifted to calling these “golf facilities” to mask the steep decline in actual golf courses. Today, “golf facilities” is a broad category that includes driving ranges, golf simulators, and academies—padding the numbers so the narrative can claim the U.S. has over 15,000 golf facilities.

On top of that, the reported number of rounds played simply doesn’t add up when you consider the actual number of courses. Unless they’re counting simulator rounds or maybe rounds played by kids with their thumbs? The definition of “Rounds Played” has been stretched to include one or more holes, than the traditional eighteen. Does taking your five-year-old out and letting them drop a ball on the course really count as a round? What happened to the standard that a round means completing all eighteen holes?

When you break down the numbers, the golf industry still falls short by nearly four million golfers—now called “players,” which feels like another attempt to inflate stats by including gamers and others—compared to the peak of around 30 million golfers who actually played on a golf course. So, any claims about the game’s growth? At best, they’re a stretch of the truth.

But this isn’t just about numbers. It’s about the love of the game, the joy of being outside, the camaraderie on the course, and the opportunity for golf to be a part of everyone’s life. Real growth means bringing more people into that experience—more players on the tee boxes, more families spending time together on the fairways, and more communities strengthened by the game.

When you read reports like the LA Times’ coverage of people selling tee times on the black market, it’s a clear sign of scarcity caused by golf course closures—not growth. I predicted this trend and touched on it briefly in my previous book, EGO: Edging Golf Out, even citing an NGF article that echoed my concerns. Despite the new terminology and claims of 15,000 golf “facilities,” we’re still seeing a decline of about 5,000 facilities. The reality is even starker—a deficit closer to 7,200 actual golf courses.

There are also reports claiming that 1 in every 3 Americans over the age of six is “engaging with the sport in some way.” But what does that really mean? Are they counting everyone who’s ever worn a polo shirt or khakis? This kind of creative accounting twists the numbers, turning data into propaganda. I raised this issue in EGO: Edging Golf Out and examine the details of this data manipulation further in GOLF: A Game of Integrity.

Across all three of my books, I’ve consistently emphasized the importance of growing the game, golf course businesses, and golf careers—always with sustainable solutions in mind. For example, in GOLF: The Untapped Market, I explored strategies for owners and operators to grow their businesses by reaching new segments like Casual and Non-golfers. Before this, the most common approach—still used by some—was simply poaching golfers from competitors. But recycling golfers isn’t a growth strategy; it’s a zero-sum game. The MMC approach grows businesses and the game itself, while also supporting the careers of everyone involved in the industry.

In EGO: Edging Golf Out, I provided a roadmap for growth by focusing on personal and professional development. Now, in GOLF: A Game of Integrity, I look at how the industry’s governing bodies can step up to drive the game forward, boost golf businesses, and enhance careers. By sponsoring the GIEG Foundation and collaborating on a comprehensive growth initiative, they can expand viewership, increase ticket sales, and reshape the game’s image to proudly proclaim: “GOLF: It’s Everyone’s Game!”

 

This inclusive vision behind the GOLF: It’s Everyone’s Game growth initiative invites everyone—from grassroots recreational golfers to top-level professionals—to come together around a shared goal: growing the game we all love.

On a side note, I’d like to offer a practical, common-sense approach to resolving the ongoing drama between LIV Golf and the PGA TOUR. Our deep dive into this situation revealed a glaring absence of common sense. In Chapter Five, titled “Difficult Terrain,” I explore how this conflict is causing real harm to both the game and the industry, and why it urgently needs a resolution to prevent further damage. Sometimes, an outsider’s clear-eyed perspective—unclouded by personal interests or entrenched biases—can be exactly what’s needed when egos get tangled in negotiations. Pride, or hubris, all too often blocks logical thinking. The challenges facing “professional” golf don’t require massive sums of money or years of negative publicity; what’s needed is simply a healthy dose of common sense. In fact, common sense is the foundation of my entire business philosophy.

I understand that some in the industry might find parts of this book uncomfortable or even offensive, but my hope is that everyone can set aside ego and resentment. My goal is to present the facts. Despite the grand rhetoric, it seems that leadership within the governing bodies has yet to truly address the thousands of golf course closures, the tens of thousands of lost jobs, and the millions of potential golfers waiting to be welcomed in. I delve into these issues further in Chapter Six, titled “Tokenism.”

I care deeply about this game and am determined to take action—but I cannot do it alone. Having witnessed golf’s glory days in the 1990s, I am confident we can surpass those heights if we come together, pool our resources, and move beyond lip service. I am committed to doing whatever it takes, even if that means shedding light on some uncomfortable truths. I want to help owners, operators, and golf professionals grow their businesses and careers. If we don’t evolve, the industry risks fading away.

As my team and I examined the business side of professional golf, we uncovered a complex web. While many organizations show sound business practices in some areas, others reveal questionable tactics. It became clear that one book couldn’t cover everything, so I’ve chosen to focus on the most pressing issues for growing the game. What started as a single study of the relationship between professional and recreational golf may well become a series—the topic is simply that rich and important.

This exploration isn’t about dwelling on problems. It’s about spotlighting best practices, responsible brand management, and developing effective solutions to grow the game. Together, we can build a golf community that’s more accessible, diverse, and inclusive—all while preserving the integrity and spirit that make golf truly special.

Enjoy the read.